


Introductions Not Really Needed

by Bam4Me



Series: Cub Rearing [2]
Category: Star Wars Prequel Trilogy
Genre: Alternate Universe, Animal Transformation, Gen, Lion Qui-Gon, Margay Obi-Wan, Public Nudity, animagus au, kind of a role reversal where Qui is the one to pursue Obi whos sus af
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-14
Updated: 2019-03-14
Packaged: 2019-11-17 22:21:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,092
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18107657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bam4Me/pseuds/Bam4Me
Summary: Obi-Wan is still considering Master Jinn's offer to be his padawan, but they can still have a nice time while he thinks it over.





	Introductions Not Really Needed

**Author's Note:**

> So, I wrote the majority of this on my phone... it turns out, one of the biggest issues with typing on my laptop seems to be an annoying keyboard, plus I'm faster at typing on my phone, which is weird cause I can type on my laptop without looking at all, so it's kept me from actually finishing many fics for like six months now. Whatever, guess that means I'm writing on my phone for a while.
> 
> padawansuggest.tumblr.com

There is, unfortunately, not a lot that Master Qui-Gon Jinn actually knew about Initiate Obi-Wan Kenobi, which was a crying shame, since Qui-Gon has been spending all his time between missions trying to court the cub towards the idea of being his padawan.

 

“I’m not even sure he  _ wants _ to be a padawan. I haven’t seen him out of his margay form beyond one single time that I snuck into one of his classes while he was humanoid and when he realized I was there he let out the funniest squeaking noise before shifting. I only even glimpsed him for a minute or two.”

 

Tahl was giggling over a pot of tea while Clee just laughed till she’d snorted, sounding undignified and like she’d been at the spice. Again. Qui-Gon glared at the two of them. “Why is that funny? He’s hiding from me, I don’t think he really wants to be a padawan.

 

Clee broke off into laughs again, finally able to wheeze out, “I’m picturing him getting trapped in his clothes, did he get trapped in his clothes, Qui?”

 

Qui-Gon begrudgingly admitted that was a  _ little _ funny. “Yes. He got trapped in his robes. I had to help him out of them when he started crying about it. He wasn’t happy.” The other kids hadn’t really laughed -they were Jedi, this thing was actually sort of normal- but a Kiffar had wheezed so hard he’d nearly been sent to the floor with how little he was breathing in an attempt not to laugh.

 

He shook his head, weirdly fond of the memory, even if it was connected to the strange feeling he had over Obi-Wan avoiding him. He just didn’t see why the child was so afraid to just be humanoid around him. 

 

Was he afraid Qui-Gon would see his Stewjoni heritage as undesirable? Most Stewjons never left their home planet because of their history of being sold as sex slaves. Obi-Wan wouldn’t understand much of that, being raised in the temple and away from his homeworld, but he would likely have been warned enough by the masters of the crèche that others might see him as an object before a person. 

 

It’s possible even that it was just general anxiety over having to properly speak in a humanoid form. The little cub was quite a chatter box as a kitten, but not much of it was intelligible speech. He shouldn’t be worried about that one though, Qui-Gon was used to chatter. Xanatos had a habit of rambling when he needed to work through a problem, and Qui-Gon was present for a great many problems. He knew when to listen and when to tune it out.

 

His only real solid idea of why Obi-Wan refused to be around him in his humanoid form, was that Obi-Wan didn’t actually want the possibility of becoming Qui-Gon’s padawan.

 

Maybe Mytakkoa was wrong. Maybe Obi-Wan wasn’t meant to be a padawan.

 

Tahl shook her head, looking amused. “No no, couldn’t possibly be that, both Bant and Garen agree that Obi-Wan wants nothing more than to be a Jedi knight, I think he’s just nervous. You need to spend more time with him, but actually  _ speak _ to him, not just groom him like a mucky kitten who’s in need of a bath. He obviously knows you care for him as a cub, but he might be worried you won’t think much of him as a human.”

 

Qui-Gon wanted to tell her that he’d only met the human for a half a minute before he was a cub again, but honestly, that didn’t actually change anything. Obi-Wan was held in good standing with his teachers and peers, the masters in the crèche have assured him time and time again that he only needed time to get to trust Qui-Gon.

 

And yet, none of that factored into his decision either. It wasn’t that he didn’t trust their opinion, but that it wasn’t the opinion that mattered in this. The force itself sang out their rightness as a master and padawan pair, that he should guide the cub to adulthood and keep him safe, teach him what he needs to know to be the best knight he can.

 

That was what mattered. Now he just needed to convince the little one of that as well. Their match was force blessed, and he would do whatever he could to make Obi-Wan comfortable. 

 

***

 

So far, his attempts to talk Obi-Wan into coming out of his animal form were slow going, usually ending in the kitten ignoring him until he stopped asking, but this time, Qui-Gon was determined to stay strong, and to stay out of his own animal form, so he could talk honestly with the little one.

 

Obi-Wan didn’t seem to like that, and was currently trying to attack his future master’s shoe, little sharp teeth tugging at his boot buckle as he growled at it. It was more playful than upset though, trying to get Qui-Gon to change forms to he could help the little one with his hunting skills, but it still left Qui-Gon grinning, an ache in his chest that was good, more than bad.

 

He leaned down to pick the tiny thing up and brought him up to eye level. And oh, that ache is getting worse, Qui-Gon could easily hold him up with one single hand without him falling off. He smiled when Obi-Wan just let out a little mewl and licked across his crooked nose. “Hello there, force blessed padawan.”

 

The little one tilted his head in apparent pleasure, purring hard enough to vibrate in Qui-Gon’s hands.  _ Master Jinn, morning greets, big soft hands to pet. _

 

Qui-Gon couldn’t exactly tell if he wasn’t good with aurebesh yet, or if he just didn’t communicate well in this form, but half their conversations came out a little like he was trying to imitate Yoda. Qui-Gon had the feeling that a cub this young likely has a harder time thinking like a human when he’s not in that form. He’d never had the difference himself, but he knew others who had a tougher time thinking like the species they were, when in their animal form. Kanine shifters who wanted to chase little animals up trees, beavers who felt the need to hoard blankets to build walls and the like.

 

Maybe that was why he wouldn’t come out of this form. Maybe he was worried Qui-Gon wouldn’t like him if he acted like a human.

 

“You are far too kind, my little one. I have a special surprise for today. How would you like to get out of the crèche today?”

 

Obi-Wan gave him a curious look, and flashes of other places in the temple ran through Qui-Gon’s mind, with a firm question behind them. Qui-Gon shook his head in answer. “No, little one, not to the gardens or the commissary, not the halls of healing. I want to take you to a place outside the temple.”

 

Obi-Wan’s reply was to sit up in his hands, eyes big and curious, tail curling up behind him in surprise. As an initiate, he wasn’t actually often allowed outside the temple unless it was planned. Even in a time of peace, Jedi children could be attacked just for being given to the temple, and it was never something they would risk on their students.

 

Qui-Gon has talked with the council  _ three _ times already about how ‘really, it’s okay, it’ll be safe, he’s not an infant he’s old enough to be taken as a padawan, he needs to get used to leaving the temple anyways-’ and so on and so forth. It wasn’t even that they didn’t believe him, Qui-Gon would never let anything happen to a student, but there was the fact that it wasn’t technically allowed for a non-crèche master to take kids out of the temple unless they were the initiate’s master, or had permission from the master.

 

The humanoid age for padawans no longer needing any crèche or council oversight on their movements was around fifteen, and Obi-Wan still had a few years before Qui-Gon could come and go with him without announcing their movements first, but until Qui-Gon was his actual master, he wasn’t supposed to leave the temple with him at all.

 

Basically, it was rules, and he was breaking the rules to take Obi-Wan now, but the council overall agreed with his plan of action. If it got them closer to Qui-Gon finally taking the kid as his student, they would concede. They think this has been drawn out more than long enough.

 

_ Leave? Adventure, new! _ Obi-Wan’s thoughts seemed to be a little scrambled, but he had the right idea of things.

 

Qui-Gon nodded, a smile on his face. “Yes, a new adventure. One of many, I hope.”

 

Qui-Gon had to go to the crèche master on duty to ask for a bag for his little one. It wasn’t exactly taboo to be found naked in the temple -though, usually expected that you would be on the way to cover yourself, since it’s rude to just assume everyone is consenting to your nudity- but non-shifters seemed to think it was completely horrible for someone to be found without their clothes on, and if he wanted Obi-Wan to hopefully shift to human form, he needed to plan for the possibility that he would have to coax the child back into some coverings. 

 

Mytakkoa stopped him before he could get back to the waiting little one curled up on a cushion next to the entrance of the crèche. She was in full wookie form today, towering over him right now, and a slightly concerned look on her face.

 

[Master Jinn, I do hope you mean to press the issue of his padawanship today.]

 

Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow. “I thought that sort of thing wasn’t meant to be  _ pushed _ ?”

 

She gave him a bland look. [When a child is  _ less _ close to the age of reassignment, I will consider being more delicate with proceedings.]

 

Qui-Gon looked back at the little one waiting patiently while the adults talked about him. If anything, he was oddly calm about it. “-and, something else on your mind?”

 

She looked like she would rather be talking about anything but, but her tone stayed low, not calling attention to them. [...his arm…]

 

Qui-Gon’s eyebrows furrowed. “The one he injured?”

 

She gave him another appraising look, before letting out a rumbling noise. [Oddly enough, yes. The arm was previously injured before you’d found him, some time ago. The injury I refer to now, was already well healed when you found him. The injury that kept him from climbing was an accident that happened down in the crèche gardens, he tumbled into a rose bush and sliced his left paw open on a thorn.]

 

Qui-Gon nodded. Mytakkoa had actually mentioned something of that sort the last time he’d had the time to try to coax the little one back into his human form around him. “And the  _ previous _ injury? Why do you mention that as well?”

 

[It’s likely the reason he’s scared to turn human around you. I was surprised you didn’t know about it already, but Master Yoda says you were off world over a year ago when it happened. Unbeknownst to us, Initiate Kenobi has had some issues with other boys in the crèche, and we never knew it until one of them attacked him. Initiate Davrin, a hyena shifter, claimed Obi-Wan provoked him and since he was shifted, instinct took over. Considering there were  _ many _ witnesses, and Initiate Kenobi could have  _ died _ if we hadn’t gotten him to the healers in time, he was sent away from the crèche immediately. We tried to relocate him to one of the agricorps, but his parents insisted he be sent home.]

 

Qui-Gon looked at Obi-Wan out of the corner of his eye. He’d had a slight limp the first time he’d met him, but he walked with all the grace of a still growing cub now that he was healed. The injury likely hadn’t left any permanent disabilities, but if he’d nearly  _ died _ … “I’m guessing there is scarring, scarring that you don’t want me to ask him about.”

 

Mytakkoa nodded, pleased he was catching on. [If you had been in temple at the time, there would be no way you wouldn’t have heard of it. The scarring is up near his elbow, looks like… well, like he was mauled. And he was. He lost a lot of blood, and it took the better part of six months to fully heal. I’m not sure if he’s scared of people looking at the scars, or just afraid now that he knows it’s harder to protect himself in human form, but he’s often not human now days. Many other masters have said I should just give up and send him on to the agricorps, but it would be a shame not to let him try when he’s still so insistent that this is what he wants.]

 

Mytakkoa was always insistent that the initiates should be given more options than they were. That more of them needed the chance to try various positions before being forced to settle in one.

 

Thirteen standard was far too young to be able to choose your whole life ahead of you, and it was unfair to force them into it. Qui-Gon had always agreed with her on that.

 

Qui-Gon still remembers the first time he was ever seriously injured on a mission. But that’s just it, he’d been on a mission. He’d, in fact, been a padawan for over two years before he’d ever been hurt enough that he seriously feared for his life. His own master had been distraught at the sight of him so hurt. Qui-Gon had been in his lion form for the entire stay in the healing halls.

 

Obi-Wan had been attacked in his own home -where he’s lived his entire life, if the temple records were accurate- and by another student, no less. Nearly killed just because someone didn’t like him.

 

He blinked, suddenly realizing he was staring blankly at a spot on the wall, a helpless feeling in his chest. He wasn’t helpless now, he could protect this cub, and he would. He smiled at the crèche master, looking more confident than he’d been when he came to the crèche that day. “Thank you, Master Koa. I will press the matter of a padawanship. If he doesn’t feel ready to come out of this form yet, it’s something to consider later. He’ll need to trust me first, I’m sure.”

 

Mytakkoa looked amused, but pleased. [Good. See to it that he’s comfortable, wherever you’re taking him now. He’s not yet cleared for missions, so if you take him as a padawan now, you’ll likely be grounded for a few months, but just keep him safe for now.]

 

Qui-Gon smiled, giving her a nod before turning back to the patiently waiting cub beside the main doors. “I will. Are you ready to go, little one?”

 

Obi-Wan stood up with a luxurious looking stretch, giving a soft little mew as Qui-Gon reached down to scratch between his little ears.

 

The long walk out of the temple was a curious thing. Obi-Wan seemed distracted by everything. Qui-Gon sent him a gentle little nudge with the force, watching as Obi-Wan meowed in consent before moving away from the sunning reptile shifter he’d been sniffing at. Obi-Wan bounded back to him as they moved into the final lift to the temple loading bay. The crèche master had been very insistent that any cab they took should be directed straight to the loading bay. Qui-Gon would have called that overzealous, but if the Jedi were anything, it was protective over their children.

 

Especially one who’s already been hurt by his own order.

 

Qui-Gon picked up the little kit off the floor, gently depositing him in the back of the open speeder, watching him bound to the other side of the transport, looking out the window there. It was a rare sight, to get to go outside the temple without crèche masters, and even rarer to be able to do it without the other children.

 

Obi-Wan was darting back and forth between Qui-Gon’s window and his own the whole ride, looking around at the city he’d grown up in but never really got a chance to know. Qui-Gon raised an eyebrow at him when he stepped up into his lap again, but didn’t go for the window this time, instead, putting a single paw on Qui-Gon’s chest, giving him a curious meow.

 

_ Places, new, where? _

 

Qui-Gon made a mental note to enroll the child in speech therapy as soon as he was officially a padawan. There was nothing  _ wrong _ with Obi-Wan’s voice, the crèche masters had assured him, but some shifters were much more instinctual in their thoughts in their animal forms. Obi-Wan seems to have a shorthand version of talking like this, short words, not very many filler words though. Mostly verbs and adjectives. There was nothing wrong with that, but on a mission, sometimes the need for more specific details were important, and he needed to make sure Obi-Wan had a better grasp of them before they got any assignments.

 

“Just a nice little spot for lunch right now. Best diner on the whole planet, I promise you that.”

 

Obi-Wan visibly perked up, letting out pleased little chitters before going back to looking out the window again, completely enthralled by the scenery outside.

 

Dex’s diner was, by far, one of Qui-Gon’s favorite places. He’d taken his other padawan there when they were younger, Dex was one of his best friends, and honestly, he wasn’t exaggerating when he said the food was good. It was great. 

 

And Dex himself loved shifters. Admittedly, there were a lot of restaurants in the galaxy that refused entrance to shifted force sensitives. Claimed something about not wanting to make accommodations for them, or fur making other people’s allergies act up. To be honest, the only reason that was a thing at all, was because they couldn’t outright deny access to force sensitives. That sort of discrimination was completely illegal on republic planets, it would never pass.

 

But Dex loves force sensitive patrons, and didn’t even fuss about them being shifted in the diner itself. 

 

Obi-Wan would one day know of the harsh realities that came with being a shifter, the outright discrimination that people would show you for it. But today was not that day. 

 

He chose a booth near one of the front windows, gently setting the chittering margay down on the tabletop before taking a seat behind him.

 

Dex didn’t take more than a minute for word to get back to him that one of his favorites was in the dining area.

 

Dex was a loud man, Qui-Gon was almost worried that he would startle his new would-be padawan, but Obi-Wan perked up in curiosity at the two of them chatting next to him, letting out a rumbling noise that sounded rather similar to the way Dex laughed, if strange in his little body.

 

“What’s this little noise maker you’ve brought me now?” Dex gave the rumbling cub a little pat on his tiny little belly as Obi-Wan lounged on his side looking up at him with what seemed like absolutely adoration. 

 

It did not take long for some to decide they very much liked Dex Jettster. 

 

Qui-Gon grinned, absolutely delighted that they might get along. Feemor tends to get along with just about anyone, but he’d always been a bit too stiff for Dex’s humor, while Xanatos elevated anyone who would feed him to a godlike status, but otherwise didn’t have much interest in the diner owner at all.

 

Obi-Wan and him might get along much better. He wasn’t sure yet, he didn’t know too much about Obi-Wan’s personality himself, but he was starting to put together pieces of it as he watched. 

 

“This would be Initiate Obi-Wan Kenobi, and padawan candidate for now.”

 

Dex raised an eyebrow at him as he took a seat across the booth, still rubbing one of his missive hands over Obi-Wan’s little head, eliciting heavy purrs from the contented cub. “Padawan candidate, huh? They don’t let initiates out of the temple without a crèche Master, Qui-Gon.”

 

Qui-Gon didn’t ask how he knew that. Dex just  _ knew things _ . “That’s why he’s a padawan candidate. I spoke with the council, the temple guard won’t be tearing down your door looking for a rogue master and a kidnapped child. Just out for lunch today.”

 

Dex hummed in thought, finally nodding after a moment when Obi-Wan stood up on the table to face him, and he belatedly realized he’d stilled his hand in his soft fur. “I’m sorry, youngling, it must be hard to get someone’s attention when you’re barely as big as the hand on your head.”

 

Obi-Wan sat up on his hind legs and grabbed Dex’s big wrist between his front legs, pulling the hand back so he could press his face into it.

 

Qui-Gon was even more delighted. Dex looked like he might steal the kitten for himself. He turned to look Qui-Gon in the eye, voice a little rough when he said, “you damn well better do whatever you need to to convince him, because I don’t want this to be the last time I see him around here.”

 

Qui-Gon nodded. “Of course. That’s why I brought him here to show him the perks of a maverick as a master.”

 

Dex snorted, shaking his head in amusement. “Alright, alright, the daily special for you? And for the little one?”

 

“His dietary restrictions are the same that mine would be if I were shifted to eat. No onions, garlic, grapes. No white dairy. I don’t know if he’s developed allergies to it yet, but the healers know he will one day, so we might as well keep him away from it now.”

 

Dex pauses to think of the daily special for right now and nodded once. “I’ll bring him the same as you, nothing to make him sick today.”

 

Qui-Gon was left with a clingy little cub, alone at the booth when Obi-Wan climbed down into his lap, looking more content than Qui-Gon has ever seen him in the temple. He ran his fingers over those soft little ears, listening to the bustle of tables around them, watching Flo come and go with trays while he considered what to say to the little one he wanted as a student so badly.

 

“Obi-Wan, I know we’ve never spoken while you’re in your human form, but I hope you know it doesn’t change my mind when I say I want you as my padawan.”

 

Obi-Wan went stiff in his arms, hunching in on himself after a good ten seconds.  _ It will.  _

 

Qui-Gon shook his head a little. “No. I don’t think it ever could. A body is a body. If you have special needs because of your body, that doesn’t make you any less wanted.”

 

Obi-Wan gave him a long look, and seemed to be picking out his own words very carefully.  _ It’s weak, hurt too easily. I think this one can learn to be stronger.  _

 

“That’s not true. You can train and grow stronger. All bodies are born weak. That’s why adults protect the young. So they have the chance to get strong to protect themselves.”

 

Before Obi-Wan could reply, Flo got to their table and put down two plates for them. Qui-Gon lifted him back up to sit next to the plate, running his hand through soft ears one more time. “That’s what adults are here for, to protect and provide. Even masters are here to guide a padawan safely to the age of knighthood, so they can make it on their own. I don’t  _ expect  _ you to be able to take care of yourself. What would you need a master for if you could?”

 

Obi-Wan was quiet for a good half a minute before he pointedly turned to the oversized -for a kitten- daily special, scooping up some poultry with a delicate little bite that was immediately contradicted when he let out a delighted noise and started in on the rest of the food with what Qui-Gon could only call an attack.

 

Now, as you can imagine, Obi-Wan’s body right now could not fit nearly as much food in it as when he’s in a human form, but shifters need more nutrients when they shift, to make up for all that energy transference. Obi-Wan didn’t need nearly as much energy as someone who actually shifted more often, but he would get hungry much faster than an animal of a similar size without a shifting capability.

 

Multiple small meals would be needed. They’d have to pack up whatever his little body couldn’t fit in it right now to bring back to the temple for another small meal later. 

 

Obi-Wan obviously finished first, collapsing with a tuckered our huff on the table like a little pile of orange and black fur, purring in contentment. He was absolutely delightful. 

 

Qui-Gon didn’t want to usher him out right away, not when he still hadn’t figured out exactly how to get Obi-Wan to trust him enough to be human. And he still wasn’t sure what that was about.

 

Surely, Obi-Wan knew that logically, his human form was larger, could reach better strengths than as a margay… but trauma doesn’t often work like that. He was human when he was attacked. It’s probably more than enough to paint the situation.

 

Obi-Wan nudged his little head into his hand, looking for soft pets, and Qui-Gon scooped him up to rest his little belly down on Qui-Gon’s palm, bringing him up to eye level.

 

“You want to be a Jedi Knight one day, right?”

 

Obi-Wan perked up a little nodding at him. He was small enough that his front legs barely dangled over Qui-Gon’s wrist, the rest still held in the cup of his hand.  _ Meant to be.  _

 

Well, he was sure of himself, that was something. Qui-Gon nodded. “Obi-Wan, the council won’t let me take you as a padawan unless you change back and spend the majority of your time with me in your human form. They just won’t let it. They’ll assume the apprenticeship isn’t going to work and send you away to the agricorps.”

 

Obi-Wan seemed to contemplate that for a moment, gently licking at the skin of Qui-Gon’s wrist in thought. His little tongue was already rough. Qui-Gon had to resist the urge to move him so he could scratch at it.

 

_ Not safe as a human. _

 

Qui-Gon shook his head, looking sad. Genuinely sad. “Obi-Wan, little one, even if that’s true, you can’t train as a knight in your shifted form. It’s a master’s job to make you safe, to  _ keep _ you safe when you cannot fight for yourself. If you can’t trust me to do that, then as much as you want to be a knight, you might not be able to.”

 

Obi-Wan was silent, but gave sad little whimpers until Qui-Gon held him close, running his fingers through soft fur until he gave a reluctant purr, nuzzling up into his neck. 

 

Obi-Wan didn’t really give any indication to his answer until they were on the cab ride back to the temple again, and in the closed back seat of the cab, he bounded out of Qui-Gon’s lap to sit next to him on the bench, and shifted back to human form.

 

Qui-Gon blinked in surprise once, before shrugging off his robe, holding it up so the driver wasn’t getting an eyeful when he looked back at them. 

 

There was nothing wrong with nudity. Skin was skin, and you couldn’t have clothes on while you shifted. They got in the way, got you all tangled up. And without those clothes, nudity was a force sensitive’s natural state. But non-sensitives always seemed to be conditioned to think it was shameful.

 

Qui-Gon wouldn’t expose Obi-Wan to that anytime soon. Even so, he could feel a vague sense of amusement from the cab driver, a slight curl to his lips as he looked in the mirror before pulling out Obi-Wan’s go bag, helping him get dressed. 

 

The temple only kept good drivers on their list for outings, and Qui-Gon was glad they did that.

 

Obi-Wan was quiet as he pulled on a pair of leggings, and Qui-Gon slipped his tunic over his head when he was finished, fishing around in the bag for outer robes and shoes. He found no shoes, but a pair of thick woolen socks.

 

As he helped out, he couldn’t help but look to Obi-Wan’s left arm, and sure enough, there was a nasty looking scar there, like someone had taken ten different blades to the skin and just yanked them about. 

 

It really  _ did _ look like he’d been mauled. If he had been in temple when that happened, there would have been no way he wouldn’t have heard about it. Possibly even  _ felt _ it in the force.

 

The fur on his arm in his margay form covered up the scarring very well for the most part. 

 

“Master Jinn?”

 

Qui-Gon wanted to pet his head for a moment -that soft red hair was bright, and he was covered in freckles in an almost humorous reflection of his spots as a margay- but stopped himself from reaching out, not knowing how Obi-Wan would react to touch as a human. It was rude to imply that the needs of the shifter would be the same no matter what. 

 

“Yes, little one?”

 

Obi-Wan gave him a suspicious look for a moment as he grabbed his robe again and pulled it on. They were nearly back at the temple. “You don’t think… you want to teach me?”

 

Qui-Gon smiled at him, feeling the force push him on. “Very much so. I can feel how right it is in the force, and I think you’ll make a fine Jedi Knight.”

 

Obi-Wan huffed, almost a  _ scoff _ of all things, looking away out the other side of the speeder, but moved a little closer anyways, till their sides were touching. “The force isn’t good or bad, it just is. A force blessed pairing can happen with a Sith, just as easily as a Jedi.”

 

It sounded like something Dooku would say, and Qui-Gon couldn’t hold back a little smile. “But we’re not Sith, and the force says we’re a good pairing. I would love to have you as my padawan, if you would accept me.”

 

The speeder stopped at the temple ship dock, and Qui-Gon got out and grabbed the bag, holding his hand out for Obi-Wan to take. Obi-Wan stared at it for a good ten seconds, before slipping his tiny little pale one into it. When he was out of the speeder he kept it there, looking away with a little scowl, as if upset with himself.

 

Qui-Gon didn’t push it again until they were back in the temple proper, making their slow way back towards the crèche.

 

“You could probably have any padawan you wanted.”

 

“But none would match me as well as you.”

 

Obi-Wan looked over at his left hand, so tiny in Qui-Gon’s, and looked down to where the scarring started near the elbow. “I’m not a strong fighter, though.”

 

Qui-Gon would have to change his mind about that one. He’d seen the comments the saber masters had made about his talent. For now, that line of prodding wouldn’t get him far.

 

“You’ll be fine, but even if you were terrible, a pairing so right in the force as this is a rare thing, and to ignore it would be folly against the force itself.”

 

Obi-Wan looked cynical again. Oh, Dooku was going to  _ love _ him. “The force isn’t a sentient being, it can feel no insult.”

 

“If a healer tells you a berry is poison, and you ignore it and eat it anyways, that doesn’t mean they have to feel offended for you to know it was the wrong choice. You know it was the wrong choice because of the consequences you faced. The force says this is the best match for us, and it would be wise to heed that.”

 

Obi-Wan tolled those big grey eyes to look directly up at him. “So you only want me because the force said so?”

 

He was going to be  _ devastating _ with that bland tone later in life, absolutely ruthless. Qui-Gon hoped he had some tact in there too. If not he would have to teach it. But he would be an amazing diplomat.

 

“I considered vague thought to wanting you as soon as Master Mytakkoa told me it would be good to think about. Upon meditation, I’ve come to realize that I want a padawan again, and you and I get along very well. Even without the force’s blessing, it’s a smart match.”

 

They were close to the crèche entrance, closer to the council entrance still, when Obi-Wan stopped in the hallway, tugging on Qui-Gon’s hand in a silent plea for him to stop too.

 

“You’re not forcing yourself to do this because a master told you to?”

 

Qui-Gon knelt down next to him on the floor, so he could look up at him. “Scarier masters than Mytakkoa have tried to tell me what to do and failed. Yoda calls me stubborn. I have many bruises on my shins to prove that I frustrate even him. I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want this.”

 

Obi-Wan looked torn between giggling -at the grandmaster of the order getting frustrated of all things- and horrified, that he would disobey the council, if his words were any clue to it. He ended up red, and Qui-Gon was both amused and horrified to see that Obi-Wan flushed up just as easily as Clee did. He was going to have to break him of that.

 

“I… I would like to be your padawan, Master Jinn.”

 

Qui-Gon could feel a pleased buzzing in the force around them, encouraging them so hard it almost gave them a head rush. He grinned. “Padawan Kenobi, then, I am absolutely delighted to accept that. You know, I think the council is in a session we can interrupt to tell them of the good news right now, how about that?”

 

Obi-Wan looked both nervous and excited at the prospect of doing something like that, something so… naughty…

 

“Okay, Master.”

 

Before they could get to the council lifts, there was a loud shuffling down the hall to them, and someone called out to Obi-Wan, making them both pause in place. 

 

Master Tholme and a very naked padawan Vos were making their way down the hallway, which likely would have gone faster if Quinlan wasn’t actively trying to hide in his master’s robes as they walked.

 

Quinlan Vos wasn’t exactly the shy type to begin with, but the other young padawan got cold with an ease that only really came to reptile shifters.

 

“Quinlan, you hate being nude, why aren’t you shifted?”

 

Again, he wasn’t shy, but his retrocognition left him with a dislike of being out of his shifted form while naked. It was hard even just walking around on the temple floors without shoes on. And Obi-Wan saw he seemed to have a pair of socks on, at least. 

 

Master Tholme must have started to carry some around for emergencies such as this, but Quinlan was still, otherwise, completely naked. And  _ freezing.  _

 

“One of those blasted cleaning droids nearly ran me over outside the summer gardens today! Scared the life right out of me, and he didn’t even apologize for it! The little twit.”

 

Master Tholme gave him a gentle cuff around the back of the head, and Quinlan seemed to grin even harder, full on flinging himself at Obi-Wan in a big hug. Unexpected, but some days Quinlan could handle more touch than others. 

 

Also, he was  _ particularly cold _ and Obi-Wan had body heat. He was a snake at heart and desired to drown himself in warmth. Obi-Wan knew the feeling.

 

Quinlan sighed as he stole his friend’s heat, their masters -Obi-Wan had a master now!- chatted a ways away from them. “You feel much happier now. You’re very happy. I’m glad you have Master Jinn. He’s nice to you.”

 

Obi-Wan felt himself tear up at that, but he wasn’t sure why, so he just pushed his head into Quinlan’s neck to hide his little sniffle. “I’m glad I have him too.”

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> padawansuggest.tumblr.com
> 
> So, more animal forms:
> 
> Quinlan - Snake (black)  
> Ventress - Snake (grey)  
> Clee - Bright orange and pink parrot, fairly large
> 
> Also, if you go to that blog and put in the tag 'animagus au' there are posts about clone OCs and the shifters when they're older and stuff and it's cute.


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